During the last week Chandra completed the observing schedule as planned.

A real-time procedure was completed on 9 Dec to compare the expected and observed HRC anticoincident shield rates. The procedure was completed as part of planning for the possible use of the HRC as a backup radiation detector.

A Chandra press release was issued on Dec 8 describing an image of the elliptical galaxy NGC 4261 that reveals dozens of black holes and neutron stars strung out across the galaxy. The structure, which is not apparent from the optical image of the galaxy, is thought to be the remains of a collision between galaxies a few billion years ago. For details see:http://chandra.harvard.edu/press/03_releases/press_120803.html .

The observing schedule for the next week is shown below and includes a series of calibration observations of E0102-72, an observation of NGC 5408 coordinated with the VLA, and an observation of the Earth during which Chandra will be aimed at a fixed point and the Earth's polar cusp will drift through the HRC-I field of view.